The
Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has alerted the Nigerian public to the
cases of listeriosis in South Africa which has infected 727 and killed at least
61 people in South Africa in the last one month.
In
a statement by the spokesperson for the ministry, Mrs. Boade Akinola, the
minister called for increased vigilance at the points of entry into the country
by the relevant officials while directing the National Agency for Food and
Drugs Administration and Control, to increase their surveillance and monitoring
of food items to ensure compliance with safety guidelines.
According
to the statement, port health officials have also been put on the alert.
The
statement read in part, “The Nigerian public are advised to wash their fruits
and vegetables properly and ensure meats are well cooked before consumption.
Nigerians are advised to be calm as the Federal Government is monitoring the
development in South Africa and would be properly advised when need be.”
Listeriosis
is food-poisoning disease caused by eating food items such as meat, dairy
products, fruits and vegetables contaminated by Listeria Monocystogene.
The
disease primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems,
pregnant women, and newborns.
According
to Wikipedia, people without these risk factors can also be affected but it is
rare. A
person with listeriosis usually has fever and muscle aches, often preceded by
diarrhoea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. Almost everyone who is diagnosed
with listeriosis has invasive infection, meaning that the bacteria spread from
their intestines to their blood stream or other body sites.
The
disease may occur as much as two months after eating contaminated food. The
symptoms vary with the infected person but mainly include: Muscle aches,
headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, diarrhoea, and convulsions.
- Punch
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